Apparatus for and method of drying



March 7, 1933.

Filed June 2, 1930 QPL WN W QNHH. i f /f NN Patented Mar. 7, 1933 UNITED sTATEs PATENT oFFlcE BUFOBD B. RUSSELL, OF CHICAGO, AND WALTER J. UHLHOBN, OF OAK PABX, ILLINOIS,

ASSIGNOBS TO DRYING SYSTEMS, ILLINOIS INC., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF APPARATUS FOB AND METHOD OF DBYING' Application illed June 2, 1930. Serial No. 458,972.

This invention relates to the drying of fibrous material or fabric, particularly long sheets such as wall paper, as it leaves the printing presses and is rolled for shipment. The invention may be carried out in connection with festooning machines or other sheet vcarriers which are adapted to expose a large area of coated material within a comparatively small space as the material is carried along from printing presses or othe;` coating devices to receiving rolls.

A purpose of the invention is to provide improved means for circulating preconditioned air through the travelin festoons in a manner insuring uniform an rapid drying. It is also a purpose of the invention to providea drying system for festooned material whereby the operation may take place in press rooms without requiring a separate enclosure for the traveling festoons, and without interfering with the normal temperature and air circulation within the room, although comparatively high temperature air may be employed in the drying operation. A further object of the mvention is to deliver a large quantity of highly heated air at low velocity and in suitable directions so as not to disturb the hanging festoons or bring about acondition wherein one loop of in includes a diagrammatic showing of amaterial coating means, a festooning device, conveyor means for estoons and a receiving roll for the treated material all in succession. The traveling festoons are exposed to view and the drying medium is applied to and withdrawn from the material operated upon without substantialinterference with the normal atmospheric conditions in the aisles between the machines.

The air passing through the festoons may be around 130 and is of comparatively large volume to effect the maximum drying speed withoutl disturbing the festoons or other sheets to the drying of which this system is applicable. The conditioned air is delivered to the hanging festoons at the lower sidesv thereof an is practically confined to the spaces between the exposed surfaces of the material, thus keeping the aisles cool. The exhaust arrangement at the top of the festons is substantially balanced with the air delivery means, and is arranged to extract inspection of the material treated. The large Volume of comparatively hot air reduces the normal drying time and also permits a reduction in the length of travel of the hanging festoons over customary arrangements. The confining of the hot air strictly to the drying space and a reduction in length of the dryer results in 'a reduction in the cost of the equipment, operation therof, and heat loss, and also greater comfort for operators, as the aisles between drying spaces are kept cool.

In the drawing, A represents a coating or printing means through which the paper is passed from the supply roll or spindle l2 to the traveling festooning sticks 25. These sticks are applied to the material operated upon by mechanism in the casing B and are blower C is employed for circulating and reeirculating air through the drying space.

The intake ofthe blower is indlcated at 10 and recirculated air is drawn to the blower through conduit 11. The air delivered to the hanging festoons passes through heater D and into duet 15. The duct 15 extends below the hanging festoons from end to end of the drying space.

At the upper wall of the duct 15 and extending centrally longitudinally thereof is an air delivery slot 16. A plate 17 extends over the slot 16 and serves to divide the air leaving the slot into two equal horizontal 4currents moving laterally away from slot 16. At the side ed es of plate 17 the air is deflected upward y and inwardly into and between the hanging festoons by the curved deilector plates 18. The divided currents of heated air thus again meet between the festoons somewhat as indicated by the arrows in Figure 2 of the drawing. The direction of flow of the upwardly traveling heated drying medium between the festoons is controlled by the arrangement of the tapered outlet duct 19 supported by posts 2O above the festoon carriers, and the air inlet openin s 21 in the duct 19.

he size of the openings 21 is regulated by slide plates 22.

The maximum drying rate takes place near the bottom of the loops where the fresh conditioned air is delivered. The moisture is present in larger quantities at this point, due to the natural ilow towards the bottom of the loo s. Heat radiated from the bailing and de ecting plates near the bottom of the loops assists the circulated air so that the lower portion of the material is dried in the same period of time required to dry the balance of the festoons. Both the ducts 15 and 19 are preferably tapered as indicated in Figure 3, in order that the carrying capacity at different points corresponds with the required carrying capacity at such points as determined by the arrangement of outlet and inlet openings.

The air intake of the blower C and the outlet in the air duct 19 are interconnected by a T 21, the passage from the duct 19 extending, however, to provide an exhaust stack 22 the outlet of which is positioned without the buildin in which the apparatus is assembled. An ad]ustable damper ,23 is fixed in the passage interconnecting the blower and duct 19 so as to permit a proportioning of the air drawn back to the blower and that exhausted through the stack.

Il t is not thought necessary to specifically describe the festoon making and carrying apparatus as it is old in the art.

The device functions as follows:

Heat is injected into the air heating and conditionin element, the power driven blow- 0C er is starte and the air forced through the air heating and conditioning element into the duct 15 and from thence through the slot therein against the baille 17 imposed thereover. Inasmuch as the duct 15 is ta ered, the air pressure will be equally distri uted throughout the length of said duct and the quantity of the air exhausted from the slot will be approximately the same throughout the length of said duct, thus permitting an even distribution of the air. The heated and conditioned air, upon striking the baffle 17, divides, and equal quantities of it flow in both directions around the edges of the baffle and follow the contour of the winged members 18 at the upper edge of which it is expelled into and between the folds of the hanging festoons of moist material passing therebetween. It is to be noted here that the baiile permits the application of a large quantity of air being delivered into the drying space without disturbing the hanging festoons of moistened material.

Inasmuch as the dei'lector plates 18 are so formed as to cause the divided currents of air to be expelled against each other, the velocity thereof will be materially reduced and the air will be deflected in such manner as to cause a portion of it to flow downward towards the bottom of the festoons where it will circulate in opposite directions and flow up the inner and outer sides of said festoons, thus evenly drying the moistened material on both sides.

The damper 23 is manually adjusted so as to permit a portion of the moisture laden air drawn from the duct 19 to be passed through the blower C and back inte the drying space, this for the urpose of injecting the moist, heated air into the said space, rather than dry heated air, as dry heated air will cause the moisture on the festoons exposed to it to evaporate too quickly, and of a consequence the material may overdry.

Simultaneously with the turning on of the blower mechanism the paper to be printed or otherwise moistened is started through the press or moisture applying mechanism A' from which it is picked up by the stick carrier and festooning mechanism B.

Although but one specific embodiment of the invention is herein shown and described, it will be understood that details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

We claim:

1. A drying apparatus comprising conveying means, an air delivery duct extending below the conveying means and having central longitudinally extending discharge means on the upper surface, means for delivering heated air under pressure to said duct, a deiecting plate spaced from and extending over said discharge means for the purpose of evenly directing the air toward both sides, and

means providing concave surfaces for receiving the air and carrying it upwardy and dilrecting it inwardly above said de ector p ate.

2. A drying apparatus comprising conveying means, an air delivery duct extending below said conveying means and having a centrai longitudina 1y extending discharge means on the upper surface, means for deliverin heated air under pressure to said duct, a deecting plate spaced from and extending over said discharge means for the purpose of evenly directing thev air toward both sides, means providing concave surfaces for receiving the air delivered and carrying it upwardly and directing it inwardly above said deflector plate, an air receiving means extending over said conveying means.

Signed at Chicago this 29th day of May BUFORD B. RUSSELL. WALTER J. UHLHORN. 

